Various systems are available for recording a television program. For example, video cassette recorders (VCRs) allow a user to record and playback television programs. The user of the VCR may watch the television program while it's being recorded and save the recorded program for future viewing. Alternatively, the VCR user may program the VCR to record a television program while the user is away or watching a different television program. The recorded program is then viewed at a later time.
Another type of video recording device is a digital video recorder (DVR). A DVR may also be referred to as a personal video recorder or a personal television server. A DVR records television programs on a disk drive (or other random access storage device) instead of a video tape. Typically the disk drive is not removable from the recorder and provides greater storage capacity than a conventional video tape. For example, a video tape may provide six hours of storage capacity while a DVR may provide twenty or more hours of storage capacity. The DVR can read from and write to any portion of the disk drive in a random manner. This capability allows the DVR to record one television program while simultaneously reading a recorded television program. Additionally, the DVR allows a user to begin viewing a recorded program while the program is still being recorded. For example, the viewer may program the DVR to record a particular television program that is one hour in length. Twenty minutes after the program has started, the viewer begins watching the recorded program from the beginning. While the viewer is watching the beginning of the program, the DVR continues recording the remainder of the program.
Many television programs include commercials that advertise various products and services, including other television programs. Typically, an advertised television program is scheduled for broadcast at a future time. If the viewer of the advertised television program wants to watch or record the television program, they need to remember the date, time, and channel of the television program or set a recording device, such as a VCR or a DVR, to record the television program. When programming a device to record the television program, the viewer needs to remember (or make a written note of) the date, time, channel, and duration of the television program to properly program the recorder. Although a viewer wants to watch an advertised television program, they may forget when the program is scheduled to be broadcast or may forget to program their recorder, thereby missing the program.
Existing systems, such as VCR Plus+® allow a viewer to enter a particular program code that corresponds to a particular television program. The program code identifies the date, time, and television channel associated with the particular television program. Program codes may be obtained, for example, from a television program guide or other television program listing. Although this system simplifies the VCR programming process, the viewer must first locate the appropriate program code and enter the program code into the VCR. If the viewer forgets to enter the program code or accidentally enters the wrong program code, the desired television program will not be recorded.
In an interactive television system, the television viewer is able to interact with the television broadcasting system by participating in polls, playing along with game shows, or requesting information from advertisers. In certain situations, the responses provided by the viewer may disrupt the viewer's enjoyment of the television program. For example, the viewer of a television program may desire additional information regarding a product advertised in a commercial. The viewer requests additional information by pressing an appropriate button on a remote control device or on the interactive television device. In response to the viewer's request for additional information, the broadcasting system may request information from the viewer, such as name, address, email address, telephone number, and the specific type of information desired. While the viewer is providing the requested information (e.g., by typing or otherwise entering data into the interactive television system), the commercial may end and the broadcasting system resumes broadcasting the television program. At this point, the viewer must either continue entering data and miss a portion of the television program or abandon the request for information from the advertiser and continue watching the television program.
The present invention addresses the shortcomings discussed above by automatically recording television programs or automatically programming a reminder. The above problems are also addressed by allowing a viewer to pause a television program to allow the viewer to finish entering data during an interactive session.